The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-03-11

much more important IL will bein the great
eternity. nood not stand hero and
argue II. There 10 sonothirg within youa
soul that says now, while lspeak:
II IN immortal; the stafs shall de- bat
am Immortal"
You feel that your existence On earth h
only small piece Of your being lti
only mile up 70 the grsve. but u II 1eoO
miles beyond. The slab Of the tomb 10
only the mile-stone on which We travelled
The world itself will grow old Ard die.
The starr Of our night will burn
down 70 their sockets and expire. The
sun. like . spark stFuck from An anvil,
will Hash and 20 out The wlnds will ut
ter their last whisper, and ocean heave it
last groan; but you and I will live for.
everi Gigautic-;mnortal Mighty to
suffer or enjoy. Mighty to love or hate.
Mighty to soar or sink. Then, what will
be to u. the store, the shop. the ONCE. the
applause Of the world, the scon Of our
enemies, the things that lifted 10 up, and
the things that pressed rs downi What
to John Wesley are all the mobs that
howled after him1 What to Voltaire are
all ths nations that applauded him! What
to Paul now the dungeons that chilled
hint What to Latimer now tbs
fame that consumed hint All those
who through the grace Of Christ reach
that land will never be disturbed. None to
dispute their throne, they shall reign for.
ever and ever. But, alas, for those who
have made no preparation for the future
When the sharp-shod hoofs Of eternal
disaste come up painting and swift to go
over them, how will they contend with
horses! And when the waves Of their
wretchedness rise up, white and foamy,
under the swOoping Of eternal storms,
and the pillows become more wrathful
and dash more high. oh. what will they
do "amid the swelling Of Jordon"s
If could come into your heart this mo.
ment, would see that many Of you, my
dear frie nds, had vowed to be the Lord s.
know not what sickness it was, or what
trial; but verify believe there is not a
man in the house but has some time vowed
he would be the Lorrs. 1t might have
been at the time when your child lay sick,
you said:
20, Lord, If thou wilt let this child get
well, will be q Christian"
Or it might have becn in some business
trouble, when you have said:
~ Lord, if thou wilt let me keep my
property, will be Christian"
You kept your property, your child got
well, the peril passed. Ar, you a
Christians History says that long ago it
had been announced that the world was
coming to an end, and there was great ex.
element in London. 1t was said that the
world would perish on certain Friday. On
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and FRI
day the people we've in the cathedral,
praying and weeping. 1t seemed as il this
whole English nation was being convert
ed to God, for it was announced as Ger.
tain by philosophers that on that
coming Friday the world would per.
ism. Friday came, and there were ro
portents, no fires in the air, no earth
quakes. The day passed along just like
every other day, and when it was past and
the night came, it is said that in Lond n
there was a scene Of riot, and wassail,
and drunkenness, and debauchery such
as had never been witnessed. They for
got their repentance, they forgot their
good resolutions. o how much human
| nature in that! While tr:a's and misfort.
unes come to us. and we are down deep in
darkness and trouble, we make vows.
We say:
20 Lord, do so, and will do So"
The darkness passes, the peril goes
away. We are as we were before, or
worse, for oh, how often have seen men
start for the kingdom OF God, come to
within arms re ich Ct il, and then go back
farther from God than they ever were
| before, dropping from the very moment Of
their privilege into darkness for ever.
Oh, how ungraseful we have been! Do
you know how much God has done for
you and for met Have you never felt iii
How much he did 'or you to-day! Who
| spread the table for youa Who watched
you last night! Who has been kind and
good to you all your life longi
| Oh, how ungra:eful We have beeni
Methinks the eY,odness Of God ought Z"
lead this whole audience to repentance. I
! know not your individual history. Some
of you never saw before, some of you I
will never see again; but know that God
has been good to you. What return have
you made! There WAS steamer on ono
of the Western lakes heavily laden with
| passengers. and there was a little child
who stood on tie side Of the taffrail,
leaning over and watching the water,
when she lost her balance and dropped
| into the waves. The lake was very
rough. The mother cried:
l
| There seemed none disposed to leap into
! the water. There was a Newfoundland
dog on deck. He looked up in his mas.
! ter's face, as if for orders. His master
SAID:
''Tray, overheard, catch 'eml"
The dog sprang into the water, caught
the child by the garments, and swan
| back to the steamer. The child was
| picked up by loving hands, the dog was
lifted on deck, and the mother, ere she
tainted away in utter thanksgiving
to that dog, threw his arms around
its neck and kissed it; but the dog
shook himself of from her embrace. and
went and laid down as though he had ac-
complished nothing. Shall mother be
grateful to a dog that saved her child. and
| he ungrateful to the Son of God, from the
heights of Heaven, plunged into the depth
of darkness. and suffering, and woe, that
he might lift US up out of that sin. and place
us on the rock of ages! Oh, the height,
| the depth. the length. the infinity, the hor.
ror of our ingratitude! Don't you treat
/ Jesus that way any more Don't you thrust
him back from your soul. He has been
the best friend you ever had. You will
want him after awhile. When the world
is going away from your grasp, and all
| the lights that shine on your soul are
going out. and the friends that stand
around you can do You no good, and you
feel your feet slipping from beneath you
oh! then yen will want him-the loving
Jesus, the sympathetic Jesus. the pardon
ing Jesus-to stand close to you, and to
hold you UP '-anid the swelling Of Jor.
dan"